As Twitchy reported earlier Thursday, the Washington Post actually did an article on Pete Buttigieg being picked as Joe Biden’s Transportation Secretary with an article entitled, “Pete Buttigieg is right. Airports are romantic.” (Buttigieg proposed to his husband in an airport.) We also learned from a journalist who profiled Buttigieg in 2018 that his favorite board game is “Ticket to Ride,” which is about trains. Planes, trains, and automobiles: Pete Buttigieg knows them all.
Drew Holden again decided to bring the receipts by providing a side-by-side listing of news stories covering Buttigieg’s upcoming nomination and that of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, whose “troublesome” tenure is coming to an end.
?Thread?
Who’s up for another side-by-side?
I’m beginning to think that perhaps the media’s coverage of Democratic and Republican cabinet appointees might be…a little different.
I want you to look really, really hard and tell me if you can spot the difference.?
— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) December 18, 2020
I understand that these two individuals are different, with different qualifications for different jobs.
But @washingtonpost, you’ve gotta recognize that when one nom gets a glowing write up of airport romance, and the other gets pilloried, that you’re sending a message, right? pic.twitter.com/8XRGMCoMS3
— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) December 18, 2020
I mean cmon @washingtonpost. Remember how you used to talk about Trump nominees? pic.twitter.com/6YpcGayek4
— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) December 18, 2020
A board game? There’s some serious journalism.
There’s also an interesting difference in the way that a lack of qualifications play into the matter for the coverage of these two.
For DeVos, it was a big deal to @NPR.
For Buttigieg? Well, haven’t you heard he loves trains and proposed in an airport terminal! pic.twitter.com/iYeLnSaSRn
— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) December 18, 2020
Buttigieg has “a personal love for transportation,” rode Amtrak while in college, and proposed in an airport. Qualified!
@CNN might be the most egregious.
They also picked up on Buttigieg’s proposal story.
For DeVos? Well. I think you can spot the difference. pic.twitter.com/TyHcvQmg27
— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) December 18, 2020
@nytimes plays up the “younger voice” and diversity that Buttigieg would bring to Biden’s cabinet, pointing out that his role will actually be even more consequential than normal.
The lack of experience criticism, you see, is reserved for conservatives like DeVos. pic.twitter.com/A2B3QWJw7v
— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) December 18, 2020
First openly gay cabinet member? Paging Rick Grenell.
Who @MSNBC chooses to quote for these two separate pieces tells us a lot more about MSNBC than it does about the individuals being mentioned, I would argue. pic.twitter.com/8tl4K0bXJM
— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) December 18, 2020
Had to slot @ABC in here for the correction on Buttigieg.
But something tells me that if Republicans tried to hold the floor for 24 hours on him – or anyone else – we wouldn’t be getting live, minute to minute updates like we did with DeVos. pic.twitter.com/fxAOjbiYOp
— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) December 18, 2020
This wasn’t even the most ridiculous headline from @ABC about Buttigieg.
Remember this one? pic.twitter.com/h9zmTswpYS
— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) December 18, 2020
@CBSNews also jumped all over the proposal-in-an-airport story.
For DeVos, they provided a handy “why you should be mad” guide that is more or less indistinguishable from a Democratic campaign ad. pic.twitter.com/EY2Ej8KURf
— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) December 18, 2020
“Travel in my mind is synonymous with … love.”
@USATODAY even used emojis! What is this?! pic.twitter.com/rpGYNWMVv2
— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) December 18, 2020
@latimes is just doing advocacy at this point. pic.twitter.com/X2H8KJe5Om
— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) December 18, 2020
“A political trailblazer, a technocrat and an intellectual wunderkind” … and also Beau Biden resurrected.
Couldn’t leave out this one also from @latimes.
I present to you, “Slayer Pete” pic.twitter.com/DEnIXgGXO2
— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) December 18, 2020
I’m always interested to know which unique picks lead to coverage about how they are “spurring optimism” for change versus those whose oppositions we focus on.
Et tu, @business? pic.twitter.com/2TU4Mob9az
— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) December 18, 2020
And Mr. Buttigieg wasn’t the only one getting the kid gloves treatment.
May I introduce you to “wonk rock” band member and, secondarily it seems, Biden Secretary of State designate Antony Blinken?
It’s tough to get on here twice, @NPR. pic.twitter.com/qD8L2FcYsk
— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) December 18, 2020
@NewYorker **did an investigation** into what “guitar aficionado” meant to potential Secretary Blinken.
For DeVos, we’re only told what her critics think. pic.twitter.com/cRSp8W40yR
— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) December 18, 2020
I’m not holding out hope that @RollingStone will be an outlet displaying integrity anytime soon but, cmon, this just feels a little bit extreme. pic.twitter.com/uJdg8Rfa2d
— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) December 18, 2020
I just. I don’t have anything left guys. I don’t know what @ForeignPolicy is doing here, or why “lyrics from Secretary of State-designate Antony Blinken’s rock band” could “portend” anything “for the next four years of international relations.” pic.twitter.com/bsZE6ZVNGJ
— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) December 18, 2020
This @RawStory headline was too good not to include. pic.twitter.com/aThzbrHQaV
— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) December 18, 2020
There are all sorts of things worth talking about when it comes to cabinet appointments. And some are more qualified than others.
But the media is speaking two different languages when it comes to Democratic and Republican administrations.
That’s bad for everyone.
— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) December 18, 2020
And we’ve gotta do this over every four or eight years.
So it makes it pretty easy to remember how different the coverage is, and what the message that disparity is meant to send.
It doesn’t have to be fair and balanced, but at least just try to fake it a little next time?
— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) December 18, 2020
Related:
All the Pulitzers: The New Yorker ‘investigates’ Joe Biden’s remark about SoS nominee Tony Blinken being a ‘guitar aficionado’ https://t.co/9AKE4i0aNy
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) December 17, 2020
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